


Just a Death Sentence

by Dalblue



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-13
Updated: 2013-06-13
Packaged: 2017-12-14 20:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/840865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalblue/pseuds/Dalblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexaeus is sent on a dangerous mission, but Zexion doesn't want him to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Death Sentence

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate fight sequence, alternate death scene. Under the headcanon that Corridors of Darkness lead through Betwixt and Between. Also I'm a new writer, sorry if it sucks.

Zexion exits the Corridor of Darkness, entering the deepest basement of Castle Oblivion. He marches over to Lexaeus. “Vexen has just been murdered. Do you know by whom?” Zexion says.

“By Axel, I believe.”

Suddenly, another Corridor opens up behind Zexion. Axel walks out of it. “Yes, it was me, of course. Marluxia ordered me to. So I did it. But I don’t think it was necessary. Sora would have done it if I didn’t. Besides, I rather liked Vexen alive. It’s really quite a shame.”

“Did you at least kill the boy?”

“Of course not. Marluxia wants him.”

“Exactly. We’re not here to help with Marluxia’s needs! He’s trying to betray the Organization and you’re just helping him.”

“I never said I was helping him. I’m personally in favor of destroying him.”

“So why did you not kill the boy?”

“Because, Sora... Fascinates me. I want to see if he has the strength to finish Marluxia himself. If so, he could be useful.”

“What could the boy be useful for other than turning against the Organization?”

“I think he might be connected to Roxas, somehow. I mean, the anagrammatic name. Take out the X, rearrange the letters and you get-

“Sora.”

“Exactly. Anyway, I said I wasn’t helping Marluxia. I never said I cared for the Organization anymore.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“That’s none of your concern, Zexion.”

“I’m a part of this Organization and I have every damn right to know what you are planning! I want to have a heart, don’t you, Axel? Don’t you miss the days in which you had a heart?”

“What makes you think that I’m going to tell you what I’m planning? You would just get in the way. There’s nothing you could do to help me. I’ll tell you my motives, but I won’t tell you how I plan to carry out my plans. I’m going to make it to where we all have hearts again, except for me.”

“How would you be able to do that, and why? Do you not long to have a heart?”

“I told you already, Zexion, I’m not telling you how I’m gonna do it. And no, I don’t particularly care for a heart. I can still feel emotions, can you not?”

“I’ve never really noticed, so I don’t know.”

Zexion knows he can feel emotion. He isn’t about to tell Axel that he can, but he feels emotions often. He knows he is lonely. His only friend is Lexaeus, and Lexaeus doesn’t talk often. He’s so silent that Xemnas actually gave him the title of the Silent Hero.

Zexion has had a crush on Lexaeus for a long time, ever since they started the Organization. He isn’t sure if he loves Lexaeus though. I mean, he loves him as a friend, obviously, but he doesn’t know if he loves him in a more serious sort of way.

Ever since they joined the Organization, Zexion and Lexaeus were put right next to each other in everything. Sent on missions together usually, even their numbers are side by side. They’re usually near each other. Despite how little Lexaeus talks, he’s probably the person that Zexion talks to the most.  Also, Lexaeus is probably the only one he can trust.

“Well Zexion, I experience plenty of emotions still. Haven’t you noticed my love of Roxas as a friend, and how I love to hate and hate to love Vexen?  And I think we both know that you experience feelings too.”

“Axel, why are you down here. It’s highly unlikely that you would come down here to talk to me about emotions. What is it that you need?”

“Oh nothing, just that Marluxia ordered me to tell Lexaeus to go see him.”

Axel opens another Corridor of Darkness and disappears into it. The Corridor closes behind him.

“You hear that, Lex?”

“Yeah.”

Lexaeus opens up a Corridor of Darkness and disappears into it. The Corridor disappears behind him.

 

                                                                     --------------------------------

 

Lexaeus thinks as he takes a slow walk through the Betwixt and Between. What is Marluxia gonna make him do? He’s pretty sure whatever it is will get him killed. Lexaeus knows Marluxia plans on betraying everyone, and he knows that him and Zexion have been counted out of that plan.

He’s not ready to die. Not until he confesses his love to Zexion to him. He’s loved him for a while. Even when they were Somebodies, he found Ienzo to be a cute kid. He decides that with the risk he’s taking, he’ll tell Zexion before he leaves to do whatever Marluxia tells him. That is, of course, assuming Marluxia is sending him on a mission.

He reaches the end of Betwixt and Between and walks through.

 

\--------------------------------

 

He exits the Corridor as it disappears behind him. Marluxia stands across the room, with a hand on Namine’s shoulder, staring down at her drawing. Lexaeus walks closer to him, purposefully taking loud steps to get Marluxia’s attention so he won’t have to speak as much.

Marluxia notices him and looks up. “What are you doing here, Lexaeus?”

“...”

“Well? Don’t stand there and give me silence!”

“Axel said you needed to speak with me.”

“I told him no such thing! Why would the idiot tell you that?! Why must that heinous fool always be so mischievous? Bring him here!”

Thank god, Lexaeus thought to himself. He really doesn’t feel like going on a mission today.

Lexaeus opens a Corridor of Darkness and walks towards it, with the intention of going to find Axel.

“Stop. Now that I think about it, I do have a task for you.”

Damnit.

Lexaeus ceases his steps and turns around.

“I want you to find and eliminate Riku. I believe he is in the fourth basement. Go. Find him, and kill him.”

Lexaeus deeply wished he could skip the mission, but he knows that if he did, Marluxia would come after him, or send Axel or Larxene. Maybe he could take one of them, but all of them wouldn’t be possible. He wasn’t that good of a fighter.

He also knew it was too risky to take Zexion along with him for help. If he did, Marluxia might request Zexion’s presence, but he would not be in the basement he’s usually in. That would get Zexion in trouble.

Lexaeus was just going to have to fight him. He was going to need to be careful, he knows Riku is a strong fighter by now. And he has the advantage of his dark form on his side.

“Okay. Would you still like me to go get Axel?”

Just as Lexaeus finishes saying this, a Corridor of Darkness appears and Axel walks out of it.

“No need, I’m already here.” Axel says in his suave voice.

Lexaeus looks Axel in the eyes. “Why do you always seem to show up when you are mentioned?”

“That happens to be none of your concern.”

Lexaeus was beginning to hold a large amount of hatred for Axel. Lexaeus may not have been the smartest Organization member, but he knew that Axel did this on purpose. Axel doesn’t think he will be able to beat Riku. Lexaeus decides that when he gets back from his task, he will have a talk with Axel, threaten him and figure out what he’s doing.

“I need to talk to Axel alone, Lexaeus. Begin your mission.”

Lexaeus turns around and opens a Corridor of Darkness and walks through it, entering Betwixt and Between.

He straightens his back, trying to look confident. He wants- no, he has  to tell Zexion about his feelings for him. He’s never realized how hard it would be to try and tell someone that he likes them. He starts to sweat nervously just before reaching the end of Betwixt and Between.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Axel stands about five feet away from Marluxia, giving him a peculiar smile.

“Axel, why did you send Lexaeus up here?”

“Simple. You needed him, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but I did not request his presence. I want to know why you sent him.”

“Oh, come on, Marluxia. It’s really simple. Don’t you get it? Zexion and Lexaeus have been planning to betray us, they know what we’re doing, and they won’t stand for it,” Axel lied.

Lexaeus and Zexion didn’t intend to do anything about it unless Marluxia, Larxene or Axel did something. Zexion and Lexaeus liked staying out of trouble as much as possible, and it wasn’t yet necessary to pick a fight with Marluxia or Larxene, so they had no intention to.

“So I decided it would be easier if we just let Riku kill Lexaeus first. I mean, a betrayal can’t happen without people to carry it out, now can it? And we need to be subtle. It was rash enough for me to kill Vexen like that, we need to be careful with Lexaeus and Zexion.”

“So you mean to say that you believe Lexaeus will actually fall in battle to someone as weak as Riku?”

“Oh, trust me, Marluxia, this boy is nowhere near as weak as you might think. He has what it takes. I don’t have any doubt.”

“What makes you so sure of that?”

“Haven’t you seen him? Hasn’t Vexen informed you as to whom his scent is similar?”

“No. Whose scent might that be?”

“The Superi-”

“Do not refer to him as the superior! He does not deserve to be our leader! He has done nothing to aid us in recovering our hearts thus far, has he? No. All he's done is send us out, making us fight heartless, time and time again, but we have made no progress!”

“Regardless of whether or not he deserves to be, he is currently. Don’t you think we should show him respect while he’s still the leader?”

“I definitely do not! He has never deserved respect. I am the one who deserves respect around here and I will get it!” Marluxia shouts as he summons his Scythe quickly. Namine flinches at the sight of the sharp weapon.

“Hey... Calm down, Marluxia. No need for fighting. You would only get in more trouble with the Organization,” Axel chuckles, knowing Marluxia would refrain from attacking.

If Marluxia is going to take over the Organization, he would have to do it subtly. He would have to do it without killing all the members of the castle, or Xemnas would be too suspicious. He will refrain from killing Axel or else Xemnas would know of his plan. At least, that’s what Marluxia thinks.

The thing that Marluxia does not know however, is that Axel has been sent to the castle to kill him. Marluxia, who is still suspicious, isn’t sure that he is on his side. Axel has been sent to Castle Oblivion with the objective of eliminating not only Marluxia, but Larxene as well, both of which are still alive.

There is two reasons Marluxia order Axel to kill Vexen. The first reason is because Vexen was revealing too much. He almost revealed to Sora who the Organization is, who Namine is, and most importantly, who Roxas is.

Vexen, however, failed to survive. Xemnas will be mad enough, learning of Vexen’s death, but the fact that Axel was the one to kill him would surely provoke Xemnas into fighting Axel.

The fact that Vexen died by Axel’s hands is a fact that all the Organization members in the castle are aware of. This is fine though, because Axel is convinced the rest of the Organization members in the castle will be dead by the time he leaves. Axel intends to kill all the members of the Castle, save for himself of course.

Marluxia and Larxene need to be stopped regardless of whether or not they intend to tell Xemnas about Vexen’s death. Axel simply can’t stand either of them and would prefer them dead anyway. However he wasn’t going to dirty his hands with them, he was convinced Sora could handle them both.

Lexaeus probably would not tell Xemnas about Vexen’s death, but Zexion would, without a doubt. Axel is aware of the friendship between Lexaeus and Zexion, therefore, Axel believes if Lexaeus dies by Riku’s hands, Zexion will seek vengeance and be killed as well.

“Axel, if Lexaeus fails to die by Riku’s hand, I will, without hesitation, kill you. You are aware of this, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah, pretty boy.” Axel says, turning around

“Stop. You never answered my question. Why does he have the scent of Xemnas?”

“Not the same scent. A similar scent. And it’s because a while ago, the heartless of the... superior,” Axel says, stressing the word just for the sake of angering Marluxia, “Decided to take over his body, however, Riku fought back. He couldn’t get him out, so he pushed him deep down where he was buried. Now the darkness still lingers in him, trying to resurface, trying to win the body back.”

“So what do we do now?”

“We wait.” Axel says, opening a Corridor of Darkness. He disappears inside of it, the Corridor itself disappearing behind him.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Lexaeus steps out of the Corridor of Darkness as it disappears behind him. Zexion is sitting down on a ledge about a foot and a half off the ground, leading up to the next room. Lexaeus walks over to Zexion, who is staring down at his lexicon. He looks up and sees Lexaeus and looks back down at his Book of Retribution.

Zexion asks, “What did he need you for?”

“He didn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Axel sent me up there, more than likely knowing that Marluxia would give me a mission, but Marluxia never actually requested my presence. He gave me a mission as I was about to leave, however. I have to find and kill Riku.”

Zexion’s heart starts beating fast. He’s studied Riku, and he knows that Riku is incredibly strong. He was able to defeat the Superior’s heartless, which indeed took a lot of strength. Zexion worries that this fight will end up being too much for Lexaeus.

“Oh. You can handle that weakling, right?” Zexion says nervously. Zexion knows Lexaeus is strong, and somewhere deep down in his non-existent heart, he doesn’t want to believe it, but Riku is probably stronger.

“...I don’t know. He seems strong.”

“Please, Lexaeus!” Zexion shouts in a faked, but disgusted tone, “You’ve seen him. When he enters his dark form, he wears a skirt,” Zexion says, speaking as if Riku is nothing when it comes to strength, “as long as you don’t let him put on his dark skirt, you should be able to beat him, okay? That’s where most of his strength comes from, his blade even harnesses the power of it, so just be sure not to let him go dark.”

Zexion looks up and the two cloaked men stare at eachother for a minute. The silence becomes awkward, but pleasant. Zexion suspects that they are both thinking the same thing, which they are, but Lexaeus doesn’t know this.

Lexaeus finally breaks the awkward silence by saying “Zexion, I want to tell you something.”

“Yes, Lexaeus?” Zexion replies, sure and hoping that he knows what he will say.

Lexaeus’ heart is pounded, and he can’t think straight. He opens his mouth and just stands there, looking at Zexion before pulling up his hood, turning around and saying “Nevermind.”

“Yeah, you always were the quiet one, Lexaeus, but do you have to go so soon? I don’t get a goodbye or anything? Besides, maybe I want to tell you something as well.”

Lexaeus turns back around. “...Is that so?”

“Yes, Lexaeus. I want to tell you something important. And I know that it’s probably the same thing you’ve been thinking,” Zexion says, closing his book and dropping it on the stone floor beside him.

Lexaeus continues to stare at Zexion, as he stares back at him.

“Lexaeus, stop trying to hide it. We both know how we feel about each other.”

“And... in what way would that be?”

“We both love each other as friends, and we both want to take it a step further.”

Lexaeus blushes and looks down at his feet.

Zexion stands up.

“Lexaeus, come here.”

Lexaeus walks over to Zexion, who is on a small ledge about a foot and a half off the ground, while Lexaeus is standing on the ground, and they are only at eye level.

“Wow, Lexaeus. I can’t quite tell if it’s me who’s short or you who’s tall,” Zexion says as he pushes Lexaeus’ hood down.

“Zexion... I have to leave.”

“Not before I give you a proper goodbye.” Zexion says as he puts his hands around Lexaeus, onto his back and pulls him closer. They stare into each other’s eyes for a minute. Zexion admires how vivid Lexaeus’ blue eyes are. Lexaeus likes how Zexion’s eyes almost match the color of his smooth, silver hair.

Lexaeus thinks for a moment about how he feels about it. It’s so sudden, and he really does love Zexion, but he doesn’t want to make him feel good this one time, with a possible chance of not returning. But it is already happening, and Lexaeus is already in it.

Suddenly, Zexion pulls Lexaeus into a kiss. Time seems to stop when their lips touch. As their lips move sweetly together, Lexaeus forgets about the troubles he is about to deal with. He is lost in the sweet embrace of Zexion’s arms around him. Zexion enjoys the warmth of Lexaeus’ lips on his. He enjoys it, and he can tell that Lexaeus is also enjoying it. They both enjoy each other’s ambience. Lexaeus feels warm, and hopes this will never end. However all good things must come to an end. Lexaeus pulls away from Zexion and gives him a troubled look.

“What’s the problem, Lexaeus?”

“...I need to go. I have to.”

“Just another minute, please?”

Lexaeus takes a minute to think before pulling Zexion into another kiss. Lexaeus and Zexion enjoy the moment while it lasts, but it doesn’t last for long. Finally, Zexion pulls away from the kiss and pulls Lexaeus into a hug.

“Come back to me, okay?” Zexion says, his head on Lexaeus’ shoulder, “Don’t let your guard down, and don’t let him turn dark. And if he does, then you get out of there. You run, okay?”

“I won’t let him, Zexion, I promise I’ll come back.”

“Wait, what if I come with you?”

“No, Zexion. You would get in trouble. What if Marluxia needs to see you and you’re not here?”

Zexion pulls away from the hug.

“I don’t care, Lexaeus! Let me come help you!”

Suddenly, a Corridor of Darkness opens behind Lexaeus. Out walks Marluxia as he says “No, I’m afraid you’ll be spectating this fight with your sharp smell, and telling me what happens, Zexion. Sorry.”

“Marluxia! Please!”

“No, Zexion. Now go, Lexaeus. He’s getting close, you don’t want to stall.”

“See you soon, Zexion. I swear.”

Lexaeus opens a Corridor of Darkness and steps into it as it closes behind him.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Lexaeus walks through Betwixt and Between, thinking about the recent events. He believes if Riku manages to go dark, he won’t be able to escape. He’ll have to beat him so fast that Riku has no time to. Lexaeus reaches the end of Betwixt and Between and enters.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Zexion sits in the basement with Marluxia.

“Can you smell him, Zexion?”

“Yes. I can smell Riku as well.”

“Tell me when one of the scents disappears.”

\--------------------------------

 

Lexaeus stands in front of the door, waiting for it to open. He was informed Riku would be here. Suddenly, the door flies open and out comes Riku. He sees Lexaeus, flinches and fixates himself to a battle-ready position.

“That scent... You’re another one of those nobodies!” says Riku

Lexaeus knows he needs to focus. He needs to concentrate and look more confident. He thinks of the right words to say to intimidate Riku.

“You’ve done well, thus far. But to possess your powers and yet... fear the darkness... what a waste.” Lexaeus says, his deep voice echoing throughout the large hall.

“I do not fear it!”

“I sense that you do. You’re also capable of controlling the darkness. Cast away your useless fear! Open your heart, embrace the darkness,” Lexaeus says, trying to sound tough, but he can’t take his mind off of Zexion.

“And if I say no?”

“Then you lose both light and darkness, and disappear!” Lexaeus hunches over and releases a shockwave of darkness. “I, Lexaeus, will not yield to the frail heart of an infantile coward! Now stop resisting, and let the darkness in!”

 

\--------------------------------

 

“Has anything happened yet, Zexion?”

“No. Give them a minute.”

Zexion and Marluxia sit still for a minute while Zexion concentrates.

“Their scents just collided! They’re fighting now.” Zexion pays close attention to the scents for the next few minutes. About ten minutes goes by before anything significant happens..

 

\--------------------------------

 

“You’re finished!” Shouts Riku as he jumps at Lexaeus.

Lexaeus, kneeling over, yells “Don’t mock me!” and just as Riku is about two feet away from him, Lexaeus heaves his large tomahawk into the air and slams it into Riku’s body. Riku flies up from the impact and hits the ceiling, before falling to the floor.

“You were too much trouble” says Lexaeus, standing up and walking towards Riku.

 

\--------------------------------

 

“Riku’s scent just disappeared!”

“What?! How is that possible?” Marluxia says in astonishment.

All of a sudden, Zexion smells the darkest scent that he has ever smelled in his life, even worse than Xemnas’ own scent.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Darkness starts gathering around Riku’s body. Lexaeus stares at his body in confusion for a second, before coming to the realization of exactly what is happening. He turns to run, but it’s too late. Riku brings himself to a kneel, and disappears in a blur. All of a sudden, he appears on the other side of Lexaeus. Lexaeus feels the most agonizing pain he’s ever felt, going straight through his chest.

“Too slow,” Riku says.

Lexaeus drops his tomahawk. Darkness starts gathering around Lexaeus’ body, a tear falls from his eye.

“Forgive me, Zexion. This was a fight I should not have started.”

The darkness begins clouding his body until he begins fading away. Riku watches as he fades away completely.

 

\--------------------------------

 

“Lexaeus’ scent disappeared.” Zexion stares at Marluxia in complete horror. “His scent is gone.”

Marluxia forces a frown. “That child managed to kill one of our strongest members? This is madness. I’m going to go have a word with Axel immediately.” Marluxia turns around just as his smile overtakes the faux frown he gave Zexion.

Marluxia opens a Corridor of Darkness, enters it and it closes behind him.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Zexion stares down at the ground, speechless. He picks up his lexicon and tightly grips it. He begins shaking. Tears start surfacing in his eyes. “God damnit! Why did I let him go alone, I should have disobeyed Marluxia’s order!” He yells to himself as tears run down his cheeks. He tosses his lexicon in anger and it slams against the wall. “I shouldn’t have let him go! I knew the stupid child would end up in his dark form!”

Zexion slides down against the wall, crying. He thinks to himself. Maybe it was Lexaeus’ fault, for not getting out of there when he had the chance, or maybe it was Lexaeus’ fault for being too weak. Maybe it was his own fault for letting him go alone! No...

Zexion begins yelling again.

“It was Riku’s fault! It was the stupid boy. He is the one that killed Lexaeus, he is the one that needs to be punished. I’m not to blame, nor is Lexaeus! It’s all that god damned kid! And also Marluxia. Marluxia was the one who sent him on his mission! And Axel as well! He’s the one who said for Lexaeus to go see Marluxia. If he didn’t do that, he may not have even been sent on his mission in the first place!”

Then, it comes to him.

“Lexaeus was set up! Axel had done that on purpose knowing Marluxia would send him on a mission, and Marluxia knew Lexaeus would get killed.”

“This is an outrage, how could they do this to me?! ... No. This is not about me. This is about Lexaeus, this is about what they did to him. I’m not going to sit by and just let this happen! I’m going to eliminate every single person who was involved with Lexaeus’ death. So who to start with? Hmm,” Zexion takes a moment to think. “Aha! Riku, he’s the one that committed the act. It should be him first!”

Zexion spends the next few minutes devising a plan.

“So, the boy was in the... Fourth basement when he fought Lexaeus, maybe he’s stil-.”

All of a sudden, Castle Oblivion starts shaking wildly. Cracks begin forming in the walls and ceiling. Axel appears out of a Corridor of Darkness before Zexion. The castle stops shaking.

“Marluxia and Larxene are dead. Who do you think will be next?” Axel chuckles and walks back through the same Corridor of Darkness.

Zexion immediately realizes what Axel is saying. Zexion is the only Organization member left in the Castle other than Axel; He was implying Zexion will die soon.

“Well I’ll show you, Axel! This is not fair, and I’ll make sure you’re the next to perish! I’ll make sure you pay for what you did to Lexaeus!”

Zexion walks to the other side of the basement, which now has multiple cracks along the wall from the shaking of the castle, picks up his lexicon, opens a Corridor of Darkness, walks through it, through Betwixt and Between, and comes out in the third basement of Castle Oblivion. He walks over to the door, staring at it.

“This should be Destiny Islands.”

Zexion pulls the doors open, revealing a white light. He walks into the doors. He ends up on a small, outlying island connected to the mainland of Destiny Islands by a bridge. He immediately sees Riku across the island. He hopes Riku doesn’t see him yet.

Zexion quickly recites an incantation. A small light begins seeping from his skin as the features of his body slowly change to mimic Sora’s. He becomes shorter by about a foot. His cloak also changes to mimic Sora’s clothes, as does his voice. He uses a spell to turn his lexicon into a fake keyblade, one that looks just like Sora’s. He walks over to the edge of the island and stares into the ocean, holding the keyblade over his shoulder, waiting for Riku.

Riku sees him and approaches him. He says “Sora, it’s me!”

The now disguised Zexion quickly turns around and slams the keyblade into Riku’s chest and he goes flying, but lands on his feet. Zexion jumps at Riku to hit him, but Riku quickly holds his hand up to summon Soul Eater, thus blocking the attack.

“Stop Sora, don’t you recognize me?”

“Yeah, I recognize you. I can see exactly what you’ve become!” Zexion jumps backwards and shoots a beam of light from his keyblade at Riku which hits him in the chest, sending him flying onto his back.

“How can the light hurt you? Have you really become a creature of the dark? You’re not Riku anymore... You’re just a pawn of the darkness. So be it, it’s time for you to face the light!” Zexion holds his keyblade up and the tip of it lights up, temporarily blinding Riku. All of a sudden, Riku jumps and slashes through Zexion.

“Impossible!” Zexion’s disguise falters and he reverts to his regular appearance, clothes and voice.

“How is it that you found me when you were there, in the light?” Zexion asks in an astonished tone.

“You reek of darkness. Even the light can’t block the smell.”

Zexion lets out a gasp as he flinches at Riku.

“I guess I followed the darkness right to you.”

“This is absurd... Then I shall make you see, that your hopes are nothing! Nothing but a mere illusion! Just as you did with my hopes!”

Riku turns into his dark form.

“God damnit, I will not let you do this to me you imbecile!

Zexion recites a chant which summons a fake replica of Riku’s Soul Eater sword.

Riku jumps to slash Zexion with Soul Eater, but Zexion quickly recites a short incantation and appears on the other side of the island.

Zexion chants an incantation, causing him to float up into the air.

Zexion pulls four blank pieces of paper out of his cloak and recites an incantation quietly. The four pieces float into the air, fold into knives, and turn to stone. He recites another incantation and the knives going flying at Riku, one by one. One of them grazes Riku’s arm, and one flies into his foot. The other two whiz past.

Riku lets out a howl of pain as he drops to one knee and pulls the stone knife from his foot. He stands back up and examines the blood, which is black because of him being in dark form. He throws the knife back at Zexion. It hits the spine of Zexion’s Book of Retribution and sticks out the other side of the book, directly in the middle, towards Zexion, preventing Zexion from turning the page.

“Another book ruined!” Zexion chants another verse, one he seems to have memorized and another book appears magically, levitating in the air. Zexion rips the knife from his current lexicon’s spine and tosses it at Riku, but it flies past him off the edge of the island. He tosses the book aside and grabs the new one.

Riku quickly runs over to the recently discarded book and picks it up. He flips to a page where there’s a legible verse and tries to recite it.

“You cretin, you really think something like that’s going to work? My lexicons are designed not to work on people with hearts.”

Suddenly, Riku disappears. Zexion feels a sharp cut in his back as Riku appears behind him, repeatedly slashing him before he falls to the ground.

Zexion stands up, recites another chant and multiple copies of him appear, each one holding a copy of Riku’s sword, Soul Eater. Several beacons appear around the island, each one emitting dark smoke. The multiple replicas of Zexion teleport around Riku, repeatedly slashing at him. Riku barely manages to dodge most attacks, getting a few cuts every now and then, but he jumps around the island and destroys each of the beacons. With each beacon he destroys, another Zexion disappears. He repeats until all the beacons are gone and there’s one Zexion left.

Just as the last clone disappears, Zexion teleports beside Riku and slashes him in the side. Riku yelps in pain.

Zexion recasts the spell that makes him levitate.

Riku teleports behind Zexion and punches him in the back so hard Zexion goes flying downwards and slams into the ground. He immediately disappears and reappears on the other side of the island.

“Okay, little bastard, how about this?” Zexion begins reciting an incantation. Riku attacks him, but Zexion swiftly dodges his attacks by jumping away. He can’t teleport because it would interrupt the current incantation. Riku slashes him a few times, but Zexion continues the incantation. After about a minute and thirty seconds of dodging and chanting, Zexion finishes the chant. Riku starts glowing white, then disappears.

“Okay, I’ve only got five minutes to do this”. Zexion quickly flips to a page near the back of his lexicon and rips out ten different blank pages. They all fold into knives that turn to stone, just like the previous set of papers. Zexion recites one last incantation and he begins glowing white and then disappears, just as Riku did seconds ago.

Zexion appears in a large white labyrinth, knives still floating around him. He is surrounded by walls made out of metal, save for one pathway which leads to a different Corridor. There are verses of words engraved on the walls in Latin.

Zexion knows this labyrinth as well as he knows the pages of his lexicon, but that’s only because the labyrinth is the interior of the lexicon. Zexion has created a 3D projection of the interior of his lexicon and him and Riku were sucked into it, by Zexion’s will of course.

Zexion chants and teleports to a large square room in the center of the Labyrinth where a large orb of light resides. He uses a spell to create a somewhat remarkably strong shield around the orb and begins teleporting throughout the pale maze, searching for Riku.

He teleports into a particularly long corridor and sees Riku run past it. He teleports behind Riku and throws one of the knives into his back. Riku holds in a shriek of pain as he stops moving. He reaches into his back and rips out the knife. He clutches it so tightly it breaks in half as he releases it. The broken knife falls and clatters against the solid, metal floor. He turns around and looks at Zexion.

“Where are we?” He shouts

“Is it not obvious? We are inside the pages of my lexicon. That’s why the walls are covered in writing.”

“Well, I’ll make sure no one ever has to step foot in this book again!”

Riku runs towards his foe as Zexion starts throwing more knives at him. Riku successfully dodges all of them. Zexion has only two knives left.

Zexion pulls out the fake Soul eater and they begin sword fighting as Zexion teleports them throughout the maze together. Zexion blocks a swing from Riku but Riku teleports behind him and slashes him in the leg. Zexion falls to a kneel and teleports elsewhere. Riku begins searching for him again.

Riku ends up in the room in the center of the maze. He sees the shield around the orb of light. He summons a dark firaga and shoots it at the shield. Just as he does this, he receives another stone knife, this time in the back of the leg.

The shield shatters, leaving the orb of light vulnerable, but Riku falls over to his hands and knees as Zexion appears before him, standing between him and the orb.

“I’m going to make you pay for what you’ve done to Lexaeus!”

Riku coughs up a bit of blood before saying “Why do you all insist on attacking me? All I want to do is find my friend and get out of this castle! If your friend hadn’t attacked me in the first place, maybe I wouldn’t have had to kill him. Did you think about that? So why did he attack me?”

“Our superior sent him on a mission to kill you. Our Organization’s goal is to retrieve our hearts! And we need Sora for that, but with you chasing after him, we had to eliminate you. But that’s not what’s important now! I don’t care about having a heart anymore. You’ve killed my only friend, the man I loved, and now I’m going to make you pay for it!”

Zexion throws his last knife at Riku.

Riku holds his head up, opens his mouth and catches the knife between his teeth. It knocks one of his teeth out, but he successfully catches it.

“How in the hell did you manage to do that!?” Zexion shouts in total awe. “You’re nothing more than a stupid little brat!”

Riku pulls the knife out from between his teeth.

“Foolish boy, what could you possibly do in a condition like this?”

Riku slowly stands up, with the knife still in the back of his leg. When he’s completely on his feet again, he throws the knife at Zexion.

“Stop it, you idiot!” Zexion says as he realizes what’s happening. Riku’s aiming to throw the knife at the core of the lexicon. It’s either Zexion’s body or his book. If the core of the lexicon gets destroyed, all of the spells in it become ineffective, and his lexicon is his only chance of escape.

Zexion gasps then coughs up blood as the knife penetrates the skin where his heart would normally be.

All of a sudden, the core of the lexicon begins emanating a white light. They’ve been inside the book for five minutes, and their time was up. The book was spitting them out. Zexion closes his eyes to hide them from the bright light as he holds his hand on the knife wound. Riku closes his as well.

All of a sudden, Zexion feels a sharp pain, a pain that happens to be Riku stabbing him through the chest.

Zexion cries out in pain. Riku pulls the sword out and jumps back.

“H-how were you able to do this t-to me? You are nothing m-more than a s-stupid little kid possessed by t-the darkness” Zexion says before coughing up blood. He silently opens a Corridor of Darkness behind Riku. Riku doesn’t notice. Riku jumps at Zexion with his sword as Zexion shouts a chant with incredible speed. He appears just in front of the Corridor, and behind Riku.

“Until next time, Riku.” He says as he backs into the Corridor. It closes behind him.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Zexion limps through Betwixt and Between and about halfway through he sits down. He slowly recites a verse from his lexicon. A verse for healing. It would have been pointless to use in battle, because the effects take place very slowly. The spell is meant for after battles. He still has the knife in his would-be heart from the battle. He rips it out of his chest as he holds in a cry of pain, and shoves it into his cloak pocket.

He stands back up and continues through Betwixt and Between. He reaches the end and exits.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Zexion exits and the Corridor closes behind him. He stands in an aisle, with six stones sticking out of the ground on either side in front of him for a total of twelve. Four of the twelve stones are broken in half, and one is missing completely. There’s three rows on each side. The first row on both sides contains one stone, the second row contains two and the third row contains three.

 

Zexion walks over to the second row on the left side of the aisle. He stands in front of the second stone in the row. The stone is half broken, and the bottom half is colored in with some shade of magenta.. Zexion looks down at the red panel in front of the stone. It shows a picture of a tomahawk called “Skysplitter.” Zexion reads the words engraved in the bottom of the panel. “No. 5 - The Silent Hero.” The half-broken stone behind the panel is a gravestone. It is Lexaeus’ gravestone. A tear falls from Zexion’s eye as he begins crying. The tear lands on the panel.

 

“I’m sorry Lexaeus. I failed. I was such an idiot to let you go fight him alone. I should have come with you. We would have been able to beat him together. Then we could have been together. I could have made it gone any other way than the way it did. I would’ve rather died fighting beside you. But not only did I let you die, I couldn’t even avenge you.”

Zexion begins bawling. He falls to his knees in front of Lexaeus’ gravestone.

“Lexaeus, I’m sorry. I will always love you, and I don’t deserve to live to love you. Not for what happened to you. It was my fault. But I will always love you. Even in death.”

Zexion neatly places his lexicon on Lexaeus’ panel.

He then stands up and walks to the stone across from Lexaeus’. The stone is still intact and the panel is lit with a blue color, rather than red. However, Zexion fears that it will soon turn red. Engraved on the panel in front of the stone is a book called the “Book of Retribution.” The words engraved below the picture of the book are “No. 6 - The Cloaked Schemer.”

Zexion holds his left arm above the panel and pulls out the knife he put in his cloak pocket. He drags the sharp edge of the knife against his delicate wrist, creating a cut which starts seeping blood. He lets the seeping continue until the blood covers just enough to hide the picture of the lexicon. He then recites a chant he recently memorized, and the blood solidifies, melding with the glowing red stone beneath. He doesn’t stop the blood from seeping, he lets it continue.

He stands up before returning to the aisle between the gravestones and opening a Corridor of Darkness. He enters, and it closes behind him.

  


\--------------------------------

 

Zexion slowly limps through Betwixt and Between, a small trail of blood following him from his wrist, as he thinks about how much he failed and how disappointed Lexaeus would be in him. He reaches the end and walks through.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Zexion walks out from the Corridor of Darkness into the basement he and Lexaeus were stationed to. He walks over to the wall and leans on it, feeling nothing anymore except for pain, sadness and regret. Blood seeps down the wall from his wrist. He turns around to see Axel and Riku standing in front of him. He flinches at the sight of Riku, but Riku remains still.

“Oh... I see. The replica. Of course.” says Zexion in despair.

“You want to be real, don’t you?” Axel says to the realistic replica of Riku.

The replica turns around and nods.

“To do that, you need the kind of power Riku doesn’t have. Then you will be a new person. Not Riku, or anyone else. You will be unique. Your own self. And Zexion’s as good a place to start as any. Riku was unable to do it, but I’m sure you can do it just fine.”

Zexion looks at Axel, with nothing more than desolation in his eyes.

“Axe-”

Before Zexion can even finish a word, the replica has him pinned up against the wall by the neck. The replica pulls him from the wall, still holding him by the neck. A tear comes from Zexion’s eye, and he barely manages to choke out the words “I’m sorry, my silent hero.” before he begins fading away. Axel watches in joy, a suave smirk on his face, as Zexion fades away, until he’s completely gone.

Axel gets a wide smile on his face. “‘My Silent Hero...’ Is that not Lexaeus’ title?” Axel opens a Corridor of Darkness and walks through it.

 

\--------------------------------

 

Axel comes out of the Corridor of Darkness in the middle of an aisle, surrounded by stones sticking out of the ground. He walks over to second grave in the second row on the left side of the aisle. He glances to the right and notices Zexion’s panel, covered in solidified blood. He crouches down to pick up the book that lies on top of the panel belonging to Lexaeus. He examines the spine of the book. “Book of Retribution.” He looks at the title. “Hallucination - Another Side.”

“So sorry, Zexion,” Axel says as he snaps his fingers, lighting the book ablaze.


End file.
